Did you read the blog I wrote last week all about your business creation, and how to design a package staircase to take your clients on a journey with you? – you can find it HERE.
For the 7th week of my 12-week Business Planning Blog series, it’s all about the development that you need to undertake for your business to grow AND the support you need to make that happen.
What do you need to learn this year to grow your business and take it to the next level?
* Do you need business coaching mentorship and support?
* Do you need personal coaching? A business is the perfect platform for bringing up all our stuff – what triggers and limiting beliefs do you know you need to address? (we all have them)
* Do you need to improve product or service knowledge?
* Are you working towards any certificates or qualifications?
* Is there any online / social media training you want to partake in?
* Do you want to master video delivery?
* Do you want to start a pod cast and need to know how?
* Is it time to be the expert in face book ads?
* Do you want to write and publish your book?
* Is this the year to be fully booked with speaking gigs?
* Do you want this year to be the year you send chat bots?
* Who do you want to reach out to, to connect, collaborate and communicate with?
* Do you want to be more organised, in your time management, systems and processes and batch your time?
You get the idea.
It is all too easy to get complacent, to stay stuck, to stay in the warm, fluffy comfort zone, to complain and moan about where you are but never change it, to shy away and ignore people who hold you accountable to higher standards.
So, how are you preparing for success? It is a case of new level new devil. BUT, we do not need to do this alone. It’s ok to be supported.
Your networks
Whether your business is in its infancy stage or has been around for years, having a supportive network can help you pave the way for success.
Hands up if you have experienced a time where you feel isolated? Of course, especially if you work from home. So where are you hanging out with other fempreneurs? How are you seeking advice and expertise from other female business owners on and offline? Find someone who is standing in a space where you want to be and study how they got there – connect with them! We become the sum of the 5 people we hang out with – so your inner circle is critical.
Learn new business skills
Broadening our business knowledge gives us the opportunity to take our business to a different level. In digital communities, a collaboration mentality is abundant. Many online are generous with their knowledge, insights and information.
Which online communities are you hanging out in? How can these communities help you grow your business and reach the next level? How can you serve the fempreneurs in these communities by sharing your expertise and wisdom? Collaborating with other experts to gain and sharing our business superpowers ultimately helps us grow our business. Ask your close business besties which online support groups they wouldn’t be without and check these out.
Remember – You get what you give. What you put into things is what you get out of them.
Make connections
Networking matters. Connections matters. Having access to a community of like-minded fempreneurs enables us to develop influential relationships, learn insights and meet tip top industry experts who can help us with our challenges.
Where are you networking offline? Which events work for you? For me its sometimes who is in the room rather than on the stage!
Have a sounding board
From hiring an accountant to choosing a VA, designing new product and service offerings, increasing our prices, etc. etc. we make hundreds of decisions a week – however we do not need to do this alone. Having a community not only provides suggested tried-and-tested recommendations, but also warn us of pitfalls and bad experiences. Asking for tips and hints can save us hours and £££ later down the line.
Do what you do best and outsource the rest.
In the beginning, when we start our businesses due to budgets and income level’s we will need to wear many hats. As we continue the journey of self-employment and our businesses become more secure we will reach a point where we are able to focus on our zone-of genius and the outsource those tasks which someone else can do for you (or make you tear your hair out!). What areas of your business can you get support with or outsource? Think about how much you are worth an hour in your business and how much you can pay someone to do your accounts or VA tasks or techy stuff! – makes sense to outsource right!
Grab your journal and answer the questions below.
What parts of your business make you feel overwhelmed?
Who can you get support from?
* VA’s?
* Accountants and book keepers?
* Technical experts?
What business mentors and coaches – who would you love to work with? What is stopping you signing up?
Who are your business bestie’s? How are you currently supporting each other?
What books do you want to read?
What training courses do you want to go on?
What events do you want to attend?
Which exhibitions do you want to visit?
What business retreats do you want to attend?
Who do you want to meet, connect with online and be introduced to?
HOW CAN YOU MAKE THE ABOVE HAPPEN?
Purpose drives passion.
Share below on the comments of the blog – any AHA’s, your main take aways’ from the blog and any questions. Encourage each other too on their journey – as it’s amazing what you do when someone is watching!
See you next week when we will be looking at your customer service strategy – how you really serve your clients, celebrate your tribe and show them that you appreciate them in 2019?
To your success.
Jo x
